Eileen Calandro, Chief Mom Connector

Guru’s Note: To meet @calandro5 online is to love her. To meet her IRL over a piece of Madonna Inn pink champagne cake is to love her even more. Eileen is a perfect example of the social media phenomenon I’ve dubbed ‘Strategic Serendipity.” She’s also the poster child for the way natural leaders bubble up organically during times of disruption. The matriarch of the Calandro Clan has gifts galore. Read on and you’ll see what I mean:

How did I get here? What did I do to deserve this? I have no idea, but I have a story. I ALWAYS have a story: My social media life began in 2008 when my husband won the Living in HD contest with Panasonic. We were trained in social media as part of our prize so we could understand what the program was all about. It turns out social media fits me like the beautiful pair of red Italian boots my sister-in-law threw in my car as I was driving away from her house (another story!).

I work for Mom Central as a community manager and my title is Chief Mom Connector. There has been a lot that came before this, none of it being in social media, but all seeming to lead me right here. I was a screen-printer, graphic designer, print buyer, and teacher. Now I’m an ubermom of three boys and in my spare time (HA!) I run half marathons, paint murals, throw over-the-top parties, carpool, play bunco, re-decorate my house, quit book groups, avoid laundry, and support philanthropic causes I believe in. I am constantly looking for the next Big Adventure and, luckily, I usually don’t have to wait very long for it to show up.

Being involved in Social Media is thrilling for me because it is constantly challenging what has come before. It’s changing every day and no one is quite sure how things will end up, but we all know things will never be the same. Technology has created a new way for consumers to voice their opinions. The computer has become the new soapbox. For someone who loves to talk as much as I do, I have arrived in Shangri-La. Let the conversations begin!